Judge rejects request to confiscate Zapatero's passport

A Spanish judge has denied prosecutors' request to confiscate the passport of former Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. The decision came after Zapatero testified as an investigated individual in the ongoing Plus Ultra case.

Judge José Luis Calama acknowledged that Zapatero's testimony did not fully dispel suspicions of criminal activity against him. However, the judge noted that Zapatero's status as a public figure significantly reduces the likelihood of him fleeing justice. The court did not grant any of the precautionary measures sought by the prosecution or popular accusers, which had included the withdrawal of his diplomatic passport and a prohibition from leaving Spain, along with mandatory bi-weekly court appearances.

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Calama admitted that the declaration of Zapatero has not managed to dispel the indications of criminality against him, although he takes into account that the former socialist leader is a person of public notoriety, a circumstance 'that clearly makes it difficult' for him to flee justice.

Zapatero, the first former Spanish prime minister to be formally investigated, is facing charges related to influence peddling, criminal organization, money laundering, and document forgery. He was also recently charged with tax evasion and smuggling concerning nearly 80 pieces of jewelry valued at 1.3 million euros, found in his office safe. Zapatero remained silent on this jewelry matter during his testimony but promised to address it later.

During his nearly three-hour testimony, Zapatero denied leading any influence-trafficking schemes for the airline Plus Ultra, stating he only performed consultancy work for a friend's company. He specifically rejected allegations of influencing public administrations or officials to secure a 53 million euro public loan for the airline in 2021, explaining that the nearly 500,000 euros attributed to commissions were payments for consultancy services. Several accusers, including Vox and Hazte Oír, had sought his provisional imprisonment.

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Zapatero denied having influenced any administration or public official for Plus Ultra to receive the public loan of 53 million euros in 2021. He explained that the 490,780 euros attributed to him as commissions are payment for consultancy work for Análisis Relevante.